Flightless Bird
by ejjcullen
Summary: Bella and Charlie Swan change their identities with each new zip code.  But will the town of Forks bring her the safety she always needed or will the past she is running from finally catch up to her?  Rated M for language and future lemons.
1. Chapter 1

**Disclaimer: I own nothing.**

**Summary:**

**Bella and Charlie Swan change their identities with each new zip code. But will the town of Forks bring her the safety she always needed or will the past she is running from finally catch up to her? Rated M for language and future lemons. **

Flightless Bird

Chapter 1

We had been driving most of the night and the sun was just starting to rise as we pulled into the sleepy town of Forks, WA. We left Denver quickly and quietly under the cover of night and stopped only once to get gas. I had slept most of the way, but now the questions would begin.

I should be used to this by now. Six cities in the last four years, and every one of them started like this. Each time we moved the pattern would repeat itself – pack up our few belongings, ditch the car, buy a car in cash if possible – if not boost one that would draw the least bit of attention, make stops only when necessary, keep my hood up and sunglasses on, and pay attention to my surroundings.

"What's your name?" Dad sighed from the driver seat. He leaned his head to the side and rubbed his forehead with his left hand that was propped up on the window of the door by his elbow. He knows how much I hate this, but it's necessary.

I say nothing as I read the signs on the stores we pass going through the center of town. _Cullen Urgent Care, Newton's Outdoor Gear, Angela's Diner, Cullen Creations, Stanley's Stop and Go, Cullen Pharmacy. _I swear the towns get smaller and smaller with each move. We will no doubt be in a remote Alaskan village next. I shiver at the thought and return to reality.

"Come on Kiddo" he says, gently nudging me with his elbow.

"Bella Swan" I grit out with no emotion. I feel like a robot, just going through the motions. I roll my eyes as the corner of his lip turns up slightly in a sympathetic grin. He knows that I hate this, I have told him since our first move. At least this time he is not insisting I dye my hair. In Phoenix he made me bleach my hair, told me it would help me blend in better. We were only there for six months before we moved on.

"What's my name?" He asks. His eyes return to the road as the questions resume.

"Charlie Swan" I sigh and resume my inspection of the town.

"Where are you from?"

"Dad, do we really need to keep doing this? I know the drill, I promise I won't mess up." I plead as my head falls back against the seat as I gaze up at the faded blue material of the roof of the car.

"Where are you from Kiddo?" He repeats, pretending he didn't hear me.

"Denver" I groan.

"No, Kiddo, its Portland, remember?" He sighs, rubbing the back of his neck.

"Right, sorry." I say closing my eyes and praying he doesn't start from the beginning yet again.

"Let's start over," he says, "What's your name?"

"Bella Swan" I repeat.


	2. Chapter 2

**Disclaimer: I own nothing.**

Flightless Bird

Chapter 2

I have to hand it to Dad, he has tried his best to keep life as normal as possible, under the circumstances. I think back on all the names I have had over the years…Formoso Raven, Alainn Finch, Joli Macaw, Divan Pionus, Kena Meyers and now Bella Swan. My real name is Isabella, but I haven't been called that in over four years.

The summer before my freshman year of high school my mother was killed as I sat quietly in the closet she told me to hide in. My mother, Renee, had been dating a man named Phil on and off for almost three years and it wasn't until he returned to our house, after almost of month of being gone, that I realized that their relationship was not right. My mother and paled significantly when she peered through the peep hole of the door and as she led me down the hall to the furthest bedroom and opened the closet door I knew that something terrible was going to happen.

When the fighting began all I heard were muffled words and raised voices. I sat as far back as I could in the dark closet, I could see just a sliver of the room through the gap in the door frame. My ears rang and I swear the sound of my heavy breaths could be heard from miles around. I jumped slightly when I heard them come into the room. Phil had been asking where I was and my mother had assured him that I was out of the house. I was supposed to be at school, but we were running late. He believed her easily and kept asking her questions about who she talked to and what she had said about him.

I never liked Phil; he wormed his way into our home and into my mother's heart. He was no good. He never really got to know us, and after three years, we knew just a bit more about him then we did after three months. He was secretive and would leave on trips for long periods of time. He was constantly paranoid around me and had told us on more than one occasion not to talk about him to any one. His picture was never taken, always finding an excuse to escape a situation in which a camera could record his presence.

A few weeks before the police had come to our house and had asked us questions about Phil, but we didn't have too much information to share. We were honest with them and when Officer Black handed my mother his card he had lowered his voice and whispered "don't be afraid of him, we can offer you both protection". My mother smiled and nodded and told them to have a nice day as she escorted them out of the house.

"Why were they here Renee? You didn't tell them anything did you?" Phil yelled as my mother cringed away. He smacked her across the cheek when she didn't respond immediately.

"N-n-nothing, Phil, I swear." She stuttered. He pushed her down onto the mattress across from the closet and my mother stared straight ahead at me telling me with her eyes not to make a sound.

"Good, it's going to stay that way". The gunshot was muffled by a pillow from the bed. Feathers and blood red spots littered the room as Phil dropped the gun beside my mother and left the house.

I didn't move except to take in ragged breaths. My vision was blurry from the constant stream of tears, my ears continued to ring and my lungs would burn reminding me to take another breath. I don't know long I sat there, but soon the room was filled with red and blue flashing lights and the sound of sirens.

Officer Black was the one that found me. He pulled me from the closet and held me close as he led me from the house, careful to keep my mothers body out of my line of vision. The ride from my house to the police station was quiet, no words were exchanged by anyone. The only distraction was the occasional call from dispatch. Arriving at the police station we made our way to Officer Black's office. It was at the end of the precinct sandwiched between interrogation rooms. Officer Black led me to a couch and offered me a drink and something to eat. I refused both with a simple nod, not even making eye contact with the man in front of me.

My dad showed up a frantic few hours later as I sat on the scratchy, gray sofa off to the side of Officer Black's desk. My dad lived a few towns over from my mother and we still saw each other regularly. My parents divorce was amicable and they had remained friends while raising me. As I grew up it was really great to be able to see both of my parents when ever I wanted. They always brought me over to the other person's house when ever I wanted. I felt bad for the kids in my class who only got the occasional weekend or two weeks over summer vacation to see their other parent.

Dad and Officer Black spoke briefly, their words were lost in the jumble that was my brain. Images played on repeat in my mind; the frightened look on my mother's face, the dark of the closet, the echoing bang of the gun, and the constant ring in my ears that made me dizzy. My dad wrapped his arms around me and the pain in my chest lightened considerably. I felt like I could breathe again. He just held me tight and rubbed a hand up and down my back until my breathing had slowed from panicked gasps to stuttering pants.

"You OK Kiddo?" he whispered as he held me tight. He wasn't expecting an answer back and didn't seem disappointed to not get one.

We left the police station, packed up a few belongings and never looked back.

Phil had fled and warrants were issued for his arrest, but even now he is still on the loose with no more leads as to his whereabouts. I wonder what Dad and I will do when he finally is found; could we ever stay in one place again?

I tried not to think to far ahead, it could be overwhelming. Especially with my eighteenth birthday approaching – would Dad and I continue like this or would I be expected to continue on alone allowing my dad to return to a normal life again? Maybe I could disappear onto a college campus, study abroad, or just disappear all together to an island far away?

Dad was always there for me and the sacrifices he has made for me over the past four years is amazing. I think he may have been dating someone when all of this started, but without another thought we disappeared. Dad left behind his house, car, job, and family, everything just to keep me away from the man that now knew I had witnessed my mother's murder. We left our lives behind with my mother and started a new life together, new names, new places, new stories.

Even though our identities changed with our zip codes, my dad always found a way to keep my name close to the one my mother had given me. My first name was always a translation of 'beautiful' and my last name was more of a private joke between my dad and me. He would change it to the name of bird, joking that we were always prepared for flight.

**Reviews please! They encourage me to continue writing, so if you want more, you gotta let me know!**


	3. Chapter 3

**Disclaimer: I own nothing.**

Flightless Bird

Chapter 3

We pulled into a gravel driveway and parked just outside our new home. It was quaint – a 2 story home set off an almost deserted street and surrounded by woods. The house was white with a faded gray trim; it had a small porch off the front and a one car garage off to the side. Dad walked over to the garage and lifted the door pushing it above his head as it slowly settled in the open position rocking slightly back and forth.

I pulled my duffel bag out of the back and grabbed my beat up back pack from the front seat. I sat and waited patiently on the step of the front porch as Dad parked the car in the garage before retrieving his own bags and returning the garage door to its original closed position. He glanced around out of habit as he walked towards me nodding to the front door.

I picked myself up, grabbing my bags once again, and followed as he passed by me and opened the front door. Once inside we set our bags down and canvassed our new abode. It was small, which was perfect for the two of us. Off the front entrance was the living room – it housed a long green couch with a matching oversized recliner, two end tables with matching lamps, a basic TV stand with a moderate flat screen television in the center and bookshelves on either side. I could already see my dad eyeing up the recliner.

Shaking my head a little I continued further into the house, down a small hallway with a bathroom on the right and finally into the only other room on the first floor, the kitchen. It was bigger than the living room and held a wooden kitchen table with four matching chairs, there was a small island in the center of the room and an L-shaped counter with a stove on one end and refrigerator on the other. Besides the wooden table and chairs, everything else in the room was white – cabinets, appliances, even the curtain around the window above the sink.

"You can have which ever room you want Kiddo." Dad said as he leaned on the door frame to the kitchen. He looked beyond tired and as if he had aged ten years overnight. My dad was always handsome, but shy like me. His hair was a little shorter now and I noticed more gray than black. We shared the same chocolate brown eyes and would look more alike if it weren't for his black, bushy mustache.

"Thanks," I said as I brushed past him to head towards the stair case. "I think I am going to take a shower and settle in, maybe even catch a nap."

I grabbed my bags by the door and headed to the second floor. It was almost identical to the first – two rooms and a bathroom in the hallway. I rolled my eyes at the thought of sharing a bathroom, but there was no use voicing my complaints. I peered into the first room – it was rather large and sparsely decorated; a full size bed with burgundy bedding, a night stand and a dresser. Deciding to leave that room to dad I ventured further down the hall to the other bedroom. This one was smaller; had a twin sized bed with light purple bedding, a night stand, dresser, and a small desk.

Walking in I dropped my bag next to the bed and sat down, the mattress bouncing slightly from the added weight. After a few deep breaths I leaned down, opened my bag and began putting my things away.

Dad didn't allow any personal items to be kept with us. They just 'slowed us down'. If you walked into our house you wouldn't even know we lived there. It made it easy to pack up with a moments notice, and it also kept identities safe.

As I hung my clothes on hangers and placed them in my closet I went over my mantra.

"_My name is Bella Swan, I am from Portland Oregon, I am a senior in high school, my dad is named Charlie, and he is an independent contractor... My name is Bella Swan, I am from Portland Oregon, I am a senior in high school, my dad is named Charlie, and he is an independent contractor. My name is ..."_

By the time the sun is fully raised I will be showered and ready to start my day as Bella Swan.

**Sorry for the short chapter. Send me a review and the next one will be longer!**


	4. Chapter 4

**Disclaimer: I own nothing.**

Flightless Bird

Chapter 4

After a few hours of rest, I wake up and have to remind myself that we are no longer in Denver and I am no longer Kena Meyers. I am now Bella Swan, new resident to Forks, WA.

I throw back the faded purple comforter and sit up in the surprisingly comfortable twin bed. I never sleep much in the car as we travel from city to city, so my nap was desperately needed, and feeling revived, my attitude has dropped and I set off to find dad.

The house is quiet as I tip toe around searching the four measly rooms that make up our living quarters and come up empty. The panic that sets in is immediate and overwhelming. It's as if the breath has literally been knocked out of me and I become frantic. I go to the window first, no sign of him outside, then I head to the back of the house to go look in the garage. The wind is whipping at me, blowing my hair in my face and sticking to my cheeks wet with tears. I'm running at this point, desperate to see my dad, the feeling of abandonment is too much.

I'm about three steps away from the garage door when it shakes lightly and rolls up revealing my dad with a confused expression as he takes in my frantic state. I barrel into him, wrapping my arms around his waist and crying into his chest. He pulls me tighter to him resting his cheek on the top of my head and whispering words into my ear.

I calm gradually to the sounds of his repeated words _"its ok kiddo, I'm here, were ok, I gotcha."_

When my breathing returns to normal I straighten up and see the regret on dad's face. He assures me he didn't mean to scare me. He checked on me before coming outside to clean out the car and was positive that he would be done before I even woke up. Next time he will leave a note.

We retreat back into the house and go over the plans for our integration into the Podunk town of Forks.

School is a must with Dad. He is already in the process of registering me at the local high school and has dropped me off in the center of town to check out both the library and a book store. We passed both on the way to the school and after much complaining, dad turned around and reluctantly dropped me off double checking that I had my cell phone on me and what to do if I spotted something amiss. Several eye rolls and 'yes dads' later I am walking from the library to the book store.

The library was limited in its collections and I quickly grew bored after venturing up and down all 15 rows of adult books. Hoping the book store had a larger collection I glace across the street and recognize _Angela's Diner_ from our trip through town early this morning. It has the classic diner look to it – a small diner car with neon blinking sign and chrome accents. The wall of windows across the front display families enjoying meals together and individuals dotting the countertop separating the tables/booths and the kitchen. The parking lot was full of beat up cars and trucks and a lone shiny silver Volvo that stuck out like a sore thumb.

I had barely made it into the book store before my phone pinged alerting to a new message.

_**Almost done at the school. You ok? – Dad.**_

I knew better than to delay my response and quickly typed back 'all good' before pocketing my phone and heading to the literature section. It was located in the front left corner and I quickly spied _Wuthering Heights_, plucked it from the shelf and tucked into an over stuffed chair next to a picture window. From this seat I could easily see if dad approach and began reading through one of my favorite books.

The chime above the door woke me from my reading induced fog and I saw the shiny silver Volvo parked right in front of the store. The sticker on the car read Forks Washington, but everything else about the car suggested otherwise.

"Ready to go?" Dad asked from beside me.

"Yeah, sorry I didn't see you pull up, I would have just met you outside." I said, closing the book and returning it to the shelf.

"It's ok Kiddo, want to get some breakfast?" He said tilting his head to the side to indicate the diner across the street.

"Sure."

We were quickly seated in the busy diner at a booth towards the back with a window to our right. The menu held typical diner cuisine and after our orders were placed I began to people watch from my window seat. There were some school children being walked to the local elementary school on the corner, older teens headed towards the high school no doubt, and moms and dads heading in all directions from the grocery store to the accounting practice and everywhere in between.

It was the man exiting _Cullen Pharmacy_ that grabbed my attention. He was dressed in dark dress pants, a white button down shirt with dark tie covered in a dark jacket – he looked professional and more dressed up than anyone else I had seen so far today. The Volvo parked across the street chirped and the man got in quickly speeding off towards the high school. He looked too old to be a student, but he didn't exactly seem old enough to be a teacher.

Dad slid a thick folder across the table towards me and after opening it, I quickly filled out the necessary information in the transfer student handbook that would allow me to attend Forks High. Having completed these so many times in the past, I could practically finish it with my eyes closed.

"We'll need to get you a car." Dad said hesitantly as the waitress placed the plates filled with pancakes, eggs and bacon down in front of us.

"Really?" I asked. I had gotten my license when I was in Denver, but was never allowed to drive on my own. Of course getting the license was a little tricky, but dad created some false documents that the DMV approved of, letting me get the license.

"Yeah, I have a few things lined up in Port Angels for work. It's a little further than I want to be away from you, but its whats best for us right now and since there is no bus system in Forks you're going to need to drive to school. I don't want you walking like a lot of the other kids." I could already see the worry in dads expression, but knew that this little bit of freedom would come with huge stipulations. He didn't wait long before listing them.

"Of course that will mean you'll need your cell on you all the time. I'll need to pick up a car charger too, we'll scout out some emergency meet up locations this afternoon, and of course we will need to familiarize ourselves with town and the best roads in and out." He said as the excitement of the car idea slowly fizzled away.

"Hey, your new in town, aren't ya?" an enthusiastic voice interrupted. I turned to see a petite, dark haired girl around my age leaning against the counter with two coffees in her hand. She had a caring smile and swiftly put me at ease. I smiled back easily and nodded.

"Well, I'm Alice," she smiled, "what year are you?"

"Bella," I said, pointing to my self and then to my dad, "this is my dad Charlie. I'm a senior, starting tomorrow".

"Oh that's so exciting, I'm a senior too!" I didn't think her smile could get and bigger. "Well, I don't want to be late, but hopefully I will see you tomorrow. You can meet me by the picnic tables in the quad in the morning and we can go over your schedule, hopefully we will have some classes together! It was nice meeting you guys." She left before I could utter a word and dad's shoulders were shaking with laughter he was holding in.

"What?" I bit angrily.

"Something tells me that I am going to be seeing a lot of that spitfire." He laughed. "It's ok to make friends Kiddo." His joking tone dropped letting the seriousness of his statement hang in the air between us.

"I know," I said, suddenly finding the puddle of syrup on my plate fascinating, "I just hate to make connections that I know I will have to leave behind."

Sensing my unease the subject was dropped, the bill was paid and we were on our way to the local used dealership to buy me a car.

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	5. Chapter 5

Flightless Bird

By: EJJCullen

By mid afternoon, Dad and I had purchase an old Chevy truck for me to get back and forth with. I swear the old man bought it only because I couldn't speed with luck it would get me back and forth to school, but not much farther keeping me from joy riding. As soon as we were done dad was in full planning mode. We dropped the truck off at the house and got back into dads car to tour the town and note the best ways to get in and out, locate main highways, and settle our meet up location if shit hit the fan.

We had yet to need a meet up location since dad usually jumped the gun and moved us in the middle of the night at the first feeling he got that something was wrong. The past few moves have really made him more jumpy and paranoid, but were still breathing and Phil is still out there.

Soon we were pulled off the main road near an entrance ramp onto the state highway highlighting routes on a map dad had sprawled across both of us. We came up with three different routes and highlighted them in different colors. Green was the safest route to use if you had the ample amount of time to use it. Yellow was still rather safe, but it took less time. Red was only to be used in emergencies. It was the fastest way out of Forks, but it was also left us the most vulnerable. Once we were satisfied with our escape plans we needed to find a meeting up location.

We needed to find a place that was off the beaten path, secluded so we would be able to see if it had been compromised before actually approaching it and it needed a central location to our escape routes.

Driving up and down the streets of Forks was getting frustrating with the lack of appropriate places to meet up. We finally pulled down a secluded road on the outskirts of town. The road appeared to lead no where and there were no signs of life for miles. We rounded a curve and spotted a small run down barn that was about 30 yards off the road. It was a small, white building that had an open pen for animals and a small closed off area just off the side. It would be ideal for a meet up place because we could stay hidden in the closed off area, be protected from the elements, and easily get to the road when needed.

Agreeing to use the barn as our meet up location we continued down the road a little farther intending to turn around and head home. Seeing a wrought iron gate at the end of secluded driveway was not what we expected.

On either side of the black iron gate were elegantly crafted concrete pillars that separated the iron gate from the matching iron fence that ran the perimeter of the property. At the edge of the pillar to the left was a small post with a black call box on it to communicate with the homeowner. The house on the property was hidden behind vast landscaping, and continuing further down the road, the fence didn't stop for almost another 2 miles. Clearly the people who lived here did so in the lap of luxury. It wasn't until we were headed home and stopped at the end of the street that I noted the name of the street, _Cullen Place._

It seemed that '_Cullen'_ was synonymous with wealth. Their were several stores in town with the _Cullen_ name displayed, and I could only imagine that any children in the household were not only fed with a silver spoon, but probably went to some snobby boarding school one the East coast.

We arrived home just in time to unload groceries into the house and for me to get dinner started while dad disappeared into the living room to find some sporting game on the flat screen. I decided on lasagna since it would take a little longer and would delay any type of conversation about starting school tomorrow. Dad always pushed to make friends, get involved with things, but it was so hard to let someone in while you're flat out lying to their faces. It was easier to keep up the lies if they never really got to know you.

I was washing up the dishes was the lasagna baked when I heard dads footsteps approaching the kitchen. I knew the lecture would begin and unfortunately there was no where to escape to. I kept my back to him as I scrubbed a pot in the sink.

"You know, I bet that Alice girl is counting on meeting up with you in the morning," he started. I hummed and 'uh huh' in response and decided that the pot could use some more scrubbing. "Kiddo its ok to be nice to her, maybe you guys will be friends."

I could here the optimism in his voice. He hated seeing me alone all the time. I was quiet and sometimes he would comment on how I was too quite, too alone, it wasn't healthy. I knew that it couldn't be just the two of us all the time, but it was just too hard letting someone in and not knowing if when I say 'bye' to them if it will be the last time I see them. My shoulders sagged under the pressure of proving to dad that I was really ok.

"Ok," I exhaled. "I'll meet up with her, but dad, don't get your hopes up, I don't have plans of joining the cheer squad or anything like that." I turned to see him smiling, genuinely happy for the first time in a long time. I smiled in spite of myself, and made a vow to really do it this time. Make a connection, establish a friendship, and even get involved.

Dad's good mood continued through dinner and was still present when I said goodnight and escaped up to the sanctuary of my room. It was still a little early, so I decided I might as well get everything in order for tomorrow so that I can sleep as late as possible knowing that I wouldn't fall asleep easily tonight. I plugged in my phone so my battery would be fully charged, and attacked my closet. All of my belongings fit into an oversized duffel bag, so it didn't take me long to decide on a pair of slim, dark distressed jeans, a long sleeve white v-neck shirt with hung loosely at my hips. With a pair of brown boots and few accessories I would ready to go in the morning.

I took extra long brushing my hair and teeth and washing my face before climbing into bed and setting my alarm clock for 6 am. The first day of school jitters began as soon as I turned off the light and the unsettling feeling in my stomach resulted in tossing and turning before finally falling to sleep well after midnight.


	6. Chapter 6

Flightless Bird

By: EJJCullen

I silently cursed myself when I opened my eyes to see the clock display 5:38 am. I rolled onto my back with a huff, knowing I had lost out on an additional 22 minutes of much needed sleep. After a few deep breaths, I flung the covers off me, sat up and switched the alarm off cursing again that I had to be awake at this hour. I headed to the bathroom to start the process of brushing my teeth and showering.

When I returned to my room freshly clean and my wet hair wrapped in a towel I glanced at the clock realizing that I still had another 5 minutes before my alarm would have gone off. I should have just got back in bed and slept the day away, but knowing dad, there was no way he would have let me. Turning to the outfit I lay out the night before I pulled on my jeans and tugged the towel from my damp tendrils to lug my shirt over my head.

Deciding to use the extra time I now had, I blow dried my hair out straight and used a curling iron to create some sporadic ringlets. After a swipe of some bronzer and eye shadow I applied a layer of mascara and finished my look with some nude lip gloss. I tugged on my boots and grabbed my backpack off the desk chair on my way out. Once down stairs I shoved a frozen waffle in the toaster and went about looking for some items I bought yesterday in preparation for my first day of school. The toaster popped as I tossed a few pens and two legal pads into my backpack. I wrapped the waffle in a paper towel and snuck a few bites while grabbing a bottle of water, my wallet and the keys to my new truck. I stopped at the front door and looked in the mirror.

"_My name is Bella Swan, I am from Portland Oregon, I am a senior in high school, my dad is named Charlie, and he is an independent contractor..."_

I repeated my mantra the short ride from the house to the school, and sat in the truck reapplying my lip gloss using the visor mirror before taking in my surroundings.

Forks High was set back on a lush green hill and consisted of five buildings, and much like the rest of the town, was surrounded by woods. There was a small building at the edge of the parking lot with a sign reading "Administration". In there I would have to hand in my registration forms and get my class schedule. Once again taking a deep breath, I opened the door and stalked off in the direction of the small, brick building.

As I was approaching the door to the Administration Office, I glanced over my shoulder and saw the shiny, silver Volvo from yesterday. The faculty parking lot was full, but the student lot only had a few cars, my truck, and the Volvo. The windows to the Volvo were tinted, but I could make out the outline of someone in the front seat. Deciding to brush it off, I pulled open the door and entered the office. It was pleasantly warm inside and filled with faculty and staff going about their day. Some teachers were retrieving mail from their slots hanging on the wall, a few were congregated around both the copy machine and the coffee maker.

I approached the well worn wooden desk and was greeted by an older woman with glasses that dangled from a string hanging around her neck. She had a cardigan wrapped around her shoulders and was filing some folders into a large metal filing cabinet.

"May I help you dear?" she called, looking up at me with a sweet smile.

"Um, yes, I am Bella Swan, and today is supposed to be my first day." I said holding up the folder of registration forms.

"Oh yes!" she said, closing the filing cabinet with a bump from her hip and walking up to me. "I can take those dear. Have a seat while I get your schedule together." She indicated a row of plastic chairs that lined the far wall as she turned towards her desk with my forms.

The office continued to buzz with conversations and movement that I barely registered his presence until he was seated two chairs down from me. It was definitely the Volvo driver, but the man for yesterday looked nothing like this. He was wearing a pair of black boots, some dark jeans, and a gray shirt I could see at the bottom of his black North Face jacket. His hair was a messy mop of brown and his eyes were a startling green I realized as I quickly looked away being caught looking him up and down.

"Mr. Cullen?" The receptionist called.

"Yes Mrs. Cope." He replied still looking at me. I had tilted my head away creating a curtain of hair to hide behind, but I could still feel his eyes on me. He shuffled his feet as he stood and walked over to the desk. Mrs. Cope handed him a manila folder and said "welcome back." He nodded politely and disappeared through the glass door as quietly as he had come in.

"Miss Swan?" Mrs. Cope called to me.

"Yes?" I said, turning my head from the glass door back to the receptionist.

"This is your schedule," she held up a manila folder, "do you want me to have someone show you around?"

"No!" I practically shouted, grasping the folder. "I mean, I'll be fine on my own." It was already going to be awkward being my first day and all, I didn't need the added attention of the school Audio Visual geek parading me around.

"Well, good luck dear and welcome to Forks High."

Escaping the office, I turned up the sidewalk in the direction of the main entrance to the school. Off to the side I saw several picnic tables and just my luck, Alice was sitting on one of them waving me over. Groaning internally, I trudged over to her and gave her a polite smile.

"Hi Bella!" She screeched, practically bouncing with excitement. "Mind if I take a look at your schedule? Hopefully we have some classes together!" I handed over the folder and she opened it enthusiastically, scanning the class outline intently.

"Wow, you're in almost all honor classes." She said. "Oh wait! We have lunch and history together!"

"That's great." I said, actually meaning it. Lunch was always the worst part of the first day of school. "I guess we can eat together, if that's ok." I really wanted to avoid the whole embarrassing sitting alone or worse yet, having to join a table full of students for lack of empty ones.

"Oh of course! As long as you don't mind my brother tagging along." She said with a slight eye roll. "And there are a few other people that I sit with, but there is plenty of room, and you can meet the rest of my friends!"

"Perfect," I said, leaning against the table and retrieving my bottle of water from inside my backpack. I took a gulp as I watched Alice's eyes drift from my face to something over my shoulder.

"Oh, here is my brother right now." She said, jutting her chin out to indicate her brother's approach. I capped my bottle and tossed it back in my bag as I slowly turned around to meet Alice's brother.

"Morning Alice," he said as I was turning.

"Morning Edward."


	7. Chapter 7

My bag slipped from my shoulder as my eyes fell on Edward, the Volvo driver. Averting my gaze from his face, I busied myself with closing my bag and repositioning it back onto my left shoulder.

"You're here early." Alice said.

"Yeah, I had to hand in my registration forms and since I'm already here I might as well make this my first day." Edward replied, looking between Alice and myself.

"Who's your friend?" he said, jutting his chin in my direction.

"Oh! This is Bella, she's new." Alice said, leaning in and bumping my shoulder. "Bella, this is my big brother Edward."

"Big brother?" I questioned, not really understanding how her 'big brother' could be attending school here when she herself was a senior.

"Yeah, he uh, well, your see he umm…" Alice began.

"I'm a year older, but I had to repeat this year since I had too many absences last year." Edward finished quickly, rubbing a hand across the back of his neck.

The bell rang out throughout the quad signaling the start of the school day and effectively ending the awkward conversation. I excused myself to head to my locker after promising to meet up with Alice outside the cafeteria for lunch.

After some searching, I finally was headed in the right direction seeing as the locker numbers were getting closer and closer to my recently issued number – 1684. As I neared the end of the hallway I read the last locker, 1650. I continued around the corner to a smaller, more deserted hallway until I finally found my destination. I quickly spun the padlock to 11-25-14 before it popped open allowing me entrance into the locker.

I was shrugging out of my jacket when I heard the lone footsteps coming down the hallway towards me. Keeping my eyes down and focusing on the task of hanging up my jacket I jumped slightly when the person stopped right next to me picking up the padlock on the locker and opening it swiftly. Closing my own locker and replacing the lock, I turned to face Edward yet again.

"See ya." I mumbled walking around him towards my first class of the day.

"Yeah" he said, nodding his head in acknowledgement. As I rounded the corner back to the main hallway, I could have sworn I heard him mumble _'be safe'._

Clearing my head with a slight shake, I went about my day. The first half of the day was as I had expected – literature, calculus, and physics. I met up with Alice for lunch and she introduced me to her friends – Jessica, Lauren, Tyler and Eric. Edward showed up a few minutes later, keeping to himself for the duration of lunch as the rest of the group grilled me for information about myself. '_My name is Bella Swan, I am from Portland Oregon, I am a senior in high school, my dad is named Charlie, and he is an independent contractor.'_ After the inquisition, I tried to remain out of the spotlight and simply deflected questions or tried to look busy with my lunch to avoid giving further information. Alice and I went off to history together after lunch, followed my Art and finally ending my day with the states mandated 'Health' class. It was held in the smaller auditorium and I carefully chose a seat towards the middle of the class to avoid drawing attention to myself by sitting in either the first or last rows.

A familiar head of brown hear made its way down the row behind mine, and even with my eyes forward, I could spot Edward in my peripheral. Slinking lower into my seat, I propped my elbow onto the arm of the chair and rested my cheek into my palm effectively blocking Edward out of my vision.

When the bell signaling the end of the school day rang, I quickly retrieved my jacket from my locker, check my cell for any messages from dad, and headed out to my truck ready to finally be home.

I pulled into my driveway, stopping short of the garage and jumped out of the cab of the truck to unlock the garage door. As I pulled the door open and headed back to my truck, I noticed the silver Volvo slowly creep past my house before it disappeared down the street. An eerie feeling washed over me and I quickly set to parking the truck in the garage, closing and locking it away until tomorrow and threw glances over both shoulders as I hurriedly made my way into the house making sure to lock the door behind me.

The feeling of being followed was not something I was unfamiliar with. It came with the territory of the lifestyle that dad and I were forced to adopt. Usually it didn't happen this quickly, and it wasn't until dad walked into the kitchen with a pizza in hand that I finally felt like I could breathe again. I kept the odd feelings to myself, not wanting to share it with dad and end up in a new town tomorrow morning. But much like last night, sleep did not come easy.


	8. Chapter 8

**Disclaimer: I own nothing.**

The rest of the week was much the same. Wake, school, home, repeat. Nothing seemed out of the ordinary, but the feeling of being followed was still present. On Friday afternoon we were being ushered into the gym for a pep rally when something caught my attention. The line slowed to a stop in front of the trophy cases that housed all of Forks High's former achievements - trophies, metals, plaques, and certificates, framed pictures of winning athletes and their coaches – all lit up behind glass doors. There was a framed picture of a long-distance runner standing with his coach at the very end of the case. It was one of the smaller pictures not more than a 5x7, but the runner's eyes caught mine. They were a captivating green, but it was the description card under it that made my breath hitch.

"_Coach Clapp and Edward Cullen class of 2010"_

_Class of 2010? _ My head was spinning. As the line began to move forward again my attention was pulled to the opposite side of the hallway where the other line of students was shuffling forward and where Edward Cullen was now staring daggers at me.

A few minutes later I was seated on the metal bleachers in a daze with the rest of my physics class. My mind was replaying the picture and caption on a loop in my head. Something just wasn't right. Why would Edward lie about his age and be back in school as a senior when it said that he graduated almost 4 years ago? That would make him 21, 22? Definitely not 19 like he claims. Maybe I read the year wrong. I mean he did say he was a senior _last_ year but had to repeat the year due to absences.

I made my way down the aisle towards my teacher claiming to need the ladies room, once excused I left the noisy gym for the relative quite of the hallway. I reached the display case, but the picture was gone. There was a faded rectangle on the paper where the frame was just moments ago. As I stood there in shock, almost thinking I had made it all up, a reflection in the glass case made me freeze. Edward Cullen was standing about 5 feet behind me on the other side of the hall, a recognizable frame in his left hand.

I sucked in a breath and turned around to face him, but came up empty. The hallway was deserted except for the closing of a door and the sounds of footsteps retreating down a hallway.

Deciding it was high time that I share all of this with dad I made my way down to my locker to retrieve my cell out of my jacket that hung inside. My shaky fingers had me re-entering my padlock combo twice before I was able to finally pull it open. I pulled the cell out and opened a new message to send to dad "_SOS",_ my finger was about to press 'send' when a voice spoke over my shoulder into my ear.

"I wouldn't do that." Edward said lowly.

It was as if someone just dumped a bucket of ice water on me. I was absolutely petrified. His arm came around my side and his hand wrapped around mine snapping the phone shut. I stood there frozen, eyes wide, and terrified to move in any way. He plucked the phone from my grasp and pocketed it.

"We have some things to discuss it would seem." He said.

As if a switch had been flipped in my brain, I was suddenly in survival mode pulling to mind all of the things that my father had taught me over the years. I butted my head backwards forcefully hearing a sickening crack as I simultaneously stomped on his foot and elbowed him in the ribs. While he stumbled back and doubled over, I used the opportunity to make a run for it.

Sprinting all out, I'm only a few yards from the metal front doors when I hear his footsteps gaining on me. Slamming into the metal bar the door opens easily and I take the stairs two at a time headed straight for my truck. I pull the key from my pocket mentally cursing myself for not thinking to get a vehicle with doors that automatically open. Only slowing enough not to crash into the door on my approach I shove the key into the handle and turn the lock pulling the door open and slamming it shut behind me as Edward pounds his fist on the window causing me to scream out. I only just hit the lock button on the door as his hand yanks on the door handle to no avail.

His eyes are wild, and he has blood dripping from his nose as he yells "open the door!"

I put the key into the ignition starting the truck as he shakes his head at me daring me to drive off. His eyes go from mine to his Volvo that sits about 10 cars down the lot and back several times as I put the truck into drive and slam my foot on to the pedal lurching forward and causing Edward to step back before he is off lightening quick to his car. I hear the chirp of his automatic doors as I round the parking lot headed out onto the main road.

Without my cell my options are limited in how to contact my dad to have him meet up at our emergency location. I would be sitting there for hours waiting for him to realize I'm not home before he would think to go there. I think through my alternatives as I speed through random residential side streets trying to avoid a familiar silver Volvo. Finding somewhere very public to hide out is probably the smartest thing to do for now. I can move about trying not to be noticed and blend in with the crowds. _If only Forks had a mall!_

I think back to the strip of stores in the center of town. Directly behind _Cullen Urgent Care_ is a small three story parking garage, and the perfect place to hide the beast of truck I'm driving. Making just a few turns I find that I am not far from my destination and speed up pulling into the entrance way too quickly causing my back bumper to hit the cement ramp. Spiraling up to the third deck I squeeze the truck between two dark colored SUVs. It doesn't hide the truck completely, but it's the best I can do for now. Turning off the engine, I sit back and take several much needed deep breaths as I look over each shoulders thinking what my next move should be.

The strip of stores across the street are not likely to be too busy on an early Friday afternoon, but I don't want to just sit in my truck either. Pulling on a gray hooded sweatshirt that was conveniently left on the passenger seat the other day, I shove all my hair under the hood pulling the strings tight and securing it around my face. Quickly and quietly I make my way down the stairs to the ground floor ever conscious of every sound and movement in the area. Triple checking that there is no one in sight I make my way across the street and into _Newton's Outdoor Gear_.

The bells on the handle of the door announce my arrival, and as I turn around to quiet them I see a silver Volvo creeping down the main road.

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	9. Chapter 9

**Disclaimer: I own nothing.**

"Can I help you dear?" a woman spoke from behind me as I ducked away from the door.

"Uh, yea…yes." I stuttered. "May I borrow your phone? I need to call a tow truck."

"Sure thing dear." She said, turning and leading me towards the check out counter.

The petite, salt and pepper haired woman picked up a cordless phone from its dock and handed it to me over the glass counter top separating customers from employees. She turned to busy herself with some paperwork on the back counter offering me some privacy as I typed in the number for dads cell phone.

It only rang twice before I was forced to duck down and disconnect the call, hiding myself as the bells above the door clanged. I placed the phone on the counter top and wildly glanced around the store looking for a place to hide. Crawling beside the rows of hiking boots I spotted a camp site display case. Feeling like I was caught in a Saved by the Bell episode, I dove into the vinyl tent securing the zipper closed and backing away to the far corner.

"Can I help you?" I heard the woman say.

"Just looking." Edward said. I heard his footsteps grow more pronounced as he made his way around the store.

The echoing of the phone rang out through the store covering up the sound of Edwards footsteps as he roamed the aisles of outdoor gear. I pulled my hand to my mouth hoping to mask any sounds of my breathing as a shadow appeared on the front of the tent.

The 'viiippp' sounded amplified in the confines of the tent as Edward ran his fingers across the front of my vinyl hiding place. Goosebumps broke out from my neck to my finger tips as I desperately wished for Edward to just go away.

"Bella?" I heard the woman say into the phone. Edward's hand paused its movement on the tent. "No I think you have the wrong number, this is Nancy." The woman said.

Edwards hand disappeared as his footsteps receded towards where Nancy stood.

"Excuse me, have you by any chance seen a woman in here?" Edward asked, "Long brown hair, brown eyes, about 5'7."

Pulling the flap of the tent aside a fraction I was able to see the exchange between Nancy and Edward. Her eyes zeroed in on the tent I was hiding in before she turned to Edward casually saying "no, haven't seen anyone matching that description."

I exhaled the breath I was holding as Nancy's eyes met mine once again. Edward walked a few feet away from the counter pulling out a cell phone from his back pocket. After dialing a number he raised it to his ear before speaking quickly to someone on the other end.

"Yes sir, I lost her after exiting the school. No, I will find her, don't worry. There aren't too many places to hide. Ok, I will update you as soon as anything new develops." Snapping the phone shut, he slid it back into his pocket surveying the store once more as he made his way back to the front doors.

Once the bells range out, my shoulders relaxed and I took a few deep breaths before leaving the sanctuary of the tent.

Nancy stood at the counter with her hands on her hips and her eyes trained on mine.

"If you go out the back it puts you around the corner of the parking garage." She said, jutting her chin in the direction of the _'Employees Only'_ door at the back of the store. I nodded my head making my way to the door as she yelled out "Your welcome!"

"Thanks." I called out, as I slipped into the back hallway leading to the exit she had mentioned.

The phone call to dad I'm sure set him off and he was probably making his way to our meet up location any second. I scanned the street before quickly leaving the stores back door and making my way to the parking garage stairwell. I climbed the stairs as quickly and quietly as possible until I was finally on the third floor. I pulled the metal door open and looked around the deserted parking level, I noticed that the SUVs were still parked on either side of my truck.

I made my way over to the truck pulling the key from my front pocket. I slid it into the lock and turned it as I pulled the door towards me. I screamed out as the door slammed shut, a hand on the window directly in front of me.

"We have some things to discuss." Edward said, repeating his words from earlier as he moved his hand from the truck window to my hang pulling my keys from my grasp.

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	10. Chapter 10

**Disclaimer: I own nothing.**

Grabbing both of my hands he splayed them on the truck window in front of me as he wedged his leg between mine pinning me to the truck.

"Sorry Isabella," he spoke into my ear, "but I'm not taking any chances this time."

He pulled my hands one at a time back and behind resting them against my lower back as he pulled a plastic zip tie tightly against my wrists leaving me defenseless. I pulled in deep breaths feeling myself hyperventilate. I didn't want to die. He knew my _real_ name. He said it. Isabella. He must be helping Phil.

"Please," I gasped, "I don't want to die." I felt the tears run down my cheeks as I closed my eyes trying to block out the vision of my mothers death.

"Come on." He said, pulling me with him as I stumbled to keep up.

We walked to his car just around the corner, blocked from view by a cement pillar. With his hands wrapped around my bound ones I was practically laying on his shoulder as his legs forced mine forward step by step. The Volvo chirped as we neared the passenger door, and he hesitated for a moment, before opening the door to the backseat and forcing me inside. His hand rested on the top of my head as he forced me to bend forward so I didn't hit my head on the top of the door frame. He sat me back and again hesitated before pulling the seatbelt across my chest and buckling it at my side. Closing the door he then rounded the front of the car keeping his eyes locked on mine as he made his way to the driver seat. Once settled, he adjusted the rearview mirror so that our eyes met and he started the engine.

Spiraling back out of the parking garage we made our way back onto the main road. I kept track of each turn in my mind so I could return to my truck if the possibility of escape presented itself. I was doubtful of that, especially since my recall of the directions became too much to remember. It seemed as if Edward was purposefully driving up and down random side streets just to disorient me.

"You're a smart girl Isabella." Edward said, eyes meeting mine in the mirror as we made another right hand turn down a residential street. "Carlisle has taught you well."

I wave of panic hit me again as he mentioned my dads real name. His eyes narrowed slightly at my reaction as if he was trying to figure out what I was thinking before he moved his attention away from me and back to the road ahead.

"I'm not going to hurt you." He said, letting out a deep breath. "Although, your little stunt earlier really fucking hurt." He lifted his hand off the steering wheel to touch his nose. Wincing he returned the hand back to the wheel as he made a right turn.

An incoming call came through the car speakers. Edward pressed a button on the steering wheel and answered "Cullen".

"Did you locate the girl?" A deep voice echoed throughout the car. It wasn't a voice I recognized. If definitely wasn't Phil – I could spot his voice in crowd.

"Yes sir." Edward said, eyes meeting mine yet again.

"Is she safe?" The voice asked, taking me by surprise.

"Affirmative." Edward said.

"Good. Don't let it happen again." With that the call was disconnected.

Reaching the end of yet another residential street, Edward made a left turn and I noticed we were back on to the main street again. Confused, I looked out the window as we approached _Newton's Outdoor Gear._ Edward pulled back into the parking garage and spiraled back up to the third level. I was completely confused. Was he bringing me back?

He pulled up behind my truck and put the Volvo into park before turning in his seat to face me.

"Listen Isabella, it's in your best interest to forget what you saw today. That was a minor slip up, that won't happen again. I need you to clear things up with Carlisle. Lie to him, tell him that nothing is wrong, and go about your normal routine as if nothing occurred today." He said.

"But…I don't understand…" I stammered.

"It's best if you don't right now." He said. "I'm going to put some trust in you Isabella, and in return, I'm going to need you to put some into me. Today never happened." He leveled me with his stare and I found myself nodding in return.

"Say it." he ordered.

"To...today never happened." I stuttered.

"Do you trust me Isabella?" He asked.

"I don't know." I said honestly.

"I guess I can't expect more right now. But I need you to understand that it is vital that you forget today and go about your normal routine. You **need** to stay in Forks." He held my gaze for another moment before getting out the car and coming around to my door. Opening it he reached across undoing the seatbelt and helped me out of the car. As I stood I saw a gun holstered on his hip concealed by his black leather jacket. The neck of his t-shirt was wet with the blood that ran from his nose earlier.

Once on my feet he turned me around pressing me against the side of the car and pulled my wrists back slightly. I felt a sharp pinch on my right forearm causing me to yelp aloud.

"I thought you said you wouldn't hurt me." I mumbled.

I felt the plastic zip ties loosen as he cut them allowing my arms to swing freely.

"Get home safe Isabella." He said quietly. "Remember, I'm trusting you. Please don't make me regret it." I felt him slip the key to my truck into my front pocket and he squeezed my shoulder as he slipped what felt like my cell phone into my back pocket before stepping away and going back to the driver's side.

I stepped back rubbing the sore spot on my forearm and using my foot, I pushed the back door closed. He drove off around the cement pillar and the brake lights slowly faded in the distance.

Looking over both shoulders I quickly made my way over to my truck. I unlocked it and pulled the door shut as I slid into my seat. Pressing down the lock button I breathed a sigh of relief, finding some safety in the quiet of the cab of my truck. I pushed back the sleeve of my shirt to the sore spot on my forearm. There was a pinprick size dot of blood and as I wiped over it I felt a small bump in my skin. Shuddering slightly I pulled the sleeve of my shirt back down, and leaned forward to retrieve my cell from my back pocket. I opened up my messages and saw two new ones from 'Charlie'…

**Received at 2:58pm "SOS?"**

**Received at 3:05pm "update now."**

There were also a dozen missed calls from him. I pulled up a new message and quickly wrote out **'sorry, no SOS, all is good. I misplaced my cell. I have it now and will explain later.'**

I started the truck and headed back home trying to think of how I was going to be able to explain today to my dad.

**I didn't want to leave you hanging too much. Please review and let me know how you like this story so far. Thanks!**

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	11. Chapter 11

**Disclaimer: I own nothing.**

My hands shake so bad on the steering wheel I have to put all of my concentration into not crashing as I make my way back home. When I pull to a stop in the driveway I have to take a full minute worth of deep breaths before I can manage to climb out of the cab of the truck in order to pull the garage door open. Once the truck is parked and I make my way into the house my mind kicks into overdrive weighing all of my options on what to do when dad comes home.

I pace the small hallway separating the kitchen from the living room. I've walked the hall so many times that I know that the fourth plank of the right squeaks and there is a small divot in the longest plank just before the doorway into the kitchen. I jump at every sound I hear. After almost an hour of this behavior I still have no idea what to do, but my time seems to be up as I see headlights through the front window indicating that dad is home.

I know I won't be able to hide this from him, he can read me like a book. Dad has made so many sacrifices for me I feel like keeping anything from him is an act of betrayal. I also know that if I do tell him, I'll be packing a bag and we will be in a new town with new names by sun up.

Edward told me not to leave, not to tell, but I don't know him, and I certainly don't trust him.

He is up the front steps and pulling the door open faster than I had expected, but his face shows worry and he pulls me in to for a big hug as he breaths out a _'thank god'_ onto the top of him head. He gives me an extra squeeze before finally letting me go and taking a step back, the worry still evident from the lines on his forehead.

"You ok?" he asks. I just nod. If I spoke he would know I was lying, and we never lie to each other. As that thought bounces around in my head I know exactly what I have to do.

"Dad?" I say to his back as he makes his way into the kitchen, turning on lights as he goes. I didn't realize I had been standing in the dark this whole time.

"Yeah?" he calls over his shoulder as he shrugs out of his coat, laying it on the back of the kitchen chair.

I follow him into the kitchen and sit at the table as he pulls out things from the fridge – butter, cheese. Next it's the cabinet above the coffee maker – bread, a can of tomato soup. Two bowls and two plates are pulled from the shelf next to the sink and flatware is pulled from the drawer of the island. He is buttering bread and setting it onto a frying pan on the stove when I finally speak again.

"Someone knows that we are here and who we are." I rush out as he places slices of cheese onto the bread.

"What?" he asks, looking straight at me with slightly wild eyes.

I fill him on the whole day; the discovery before the pep rally, Edward chasing me, hiding at Newton's, getting caught by Edward, his strange warnings and the weird phone call. I had to remind him twice about the grilled cheese he's making.

He sits across from me after heating up a can of tomato soup and slides one of the sandwiches over to me. We sit in silence for a minute digesting what I've confessed, before he moves to dip his grilled cheese into his soup. I mimic his movements as we finish our meal. He's wiping his mouth with a napkin when his eyes finally meet mine. Tossing the napkin onto the dirty dishes I stand and bring his and mine to the sink to be washed.

"Forget those for now kiddo, let's figure this out." he says as I leave the dishes on the counter and return to my seat across from him.

"Do you think he is connected to _Phil_?" I ask, whispering the last word.

"I can't say for sure, but if he is, why would he go to all of these lengths?" he says aloud trying to make sense of Edward's behavior. "I mean, why keep you alive?"

"My thoughts exactly." I say, shaking my head. "I mean, he is obviously from here, we know that – he went to school here, he has family here, I don't think he is going to do something to us. But at the same time, how does he know who we are, and why?"

Dad pulls out his laptop and we start digging. We Google _Edward Cullen_ and get a brief description of his life in Forks, academic and athletic achievements that eventually led to full scholarship at Dartmouth, but after his junior year of college the trail goes cold. We can't find anything for him for the past two years – no address, drivers license, paycheck, tax record, nothing.

I sit back on the sofa next to dad, that we moved to about an hour ago, and close my eyes in frustration. We had been at the for the past two hours scouring every source and database we were connected to trying to find anything to help clue us in on who Edward is and what he wants with us.

"Maybe he's not interested is us per say. Maybe he's a NARC for the high school trying to bust pot dealers." I say.

"I don't think he's a NARC." Dad says as he turns the lap top slightly in my direction, showing me the screen. It looked like a scanned copy of an internship application for Dartmouth's undergraduates.

"What is that?" I asked, reading through the information on the form.

"It's an application filled out by Edward in 2012 for an internship. It seems that Mr. Cullen was a double major at Dartmouth studying Linguistics and Cognitive Science."

"OK," I said, not following the connection.

"This is an application for an academy at Quantico." He said, shutting the laptop. "He's FBI."

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	12. Chapter 12

**Disclaimer: I own nothing.**

Dad and I spent Saturday digging through everything we knew about Phil and any possible link that there might be to him and the FBI. Over the years we pieced things together and had a few clues as to who Phil really is. Dad's theory is he was a hit man of sorts, and that he kept his identity hidden so that the police couldn't find him. That's why he was never in any pictures, that's why he was always taking long trips.

I didn't know what to think of Phil. In fact, I tried not to. Even thinking his name made the hair on the back of my neck stand up. I was terrified of the man, and I knew that given the chance, he would kill me as easily as he did my mother.

Sometimes I thought about how much easier it would be if he succeeded in finishing me off before dad and I escaped. We wouldn't be constantly looking over our shoulders, dad could have a real life, we wouldn't have to have strict rules to follow on a daily basis, and we could breathe. But then I think about dad, and how he would be devastated if anything were to happen to me.

Shaking my head, I chug down the glass of what I came into the kitchen to get, as well as a small break from the constant searches being performed in the living room. I swear, dad hasn't slept a wink so far since discovering Edward is affiliated with the FBI. I'm not much better, but at least I pretended to sleep for his sake. I tossed and turned for the majority of last night, and when my mind finally did settle enough to let sleep take over I was haunted by the memories of the past.

I joined dad on the couch before the sun had fully risen and helped sort through the information he has put together since last night. The living room looked like a giant web with stacks of paper and pictures linked to one another.

"Holy shit." I hear dad curse from the other room.

I run back with my half full glass of water still in hand. Dad stands in the center of our web holding a picture in one hand and a newspaper printout in the other. His expression is one of absolute fear.

"What is it?" I whisper, slowly approaching him and glancing at the picture he grips.

The black and white photo is of a man getting out of a car. The photographer captured him just as he is making eye contact with the camera. Average is how I would describe him – average height, average build, Caucasian male, mid-to-late thirties, dark hair, and then my breath hitches. His eyes. They are the same as Phil's. Absolutely identical. Dark and filled with absolutely no emotion, just pure evil.

It was Phil's eyes when I first met him that made me take a step back. My mother had laughed and said that I was just shy. Phil's eyes had narrowed in on me, scrutinizing my every move. It took almost two full years before I stopped jumping each time his gaze narrowed at me. But I never trusted the man. My instincts, it would seem, were spot on.

"Who is that?" I asked, feeling a chill run down my back staring into those eyes.

"Caius Volturi," Dad said, dropping the papers on top of the coffee table as he sat heavily onto the couch. "He's a capo in the Volturi family."

"I don't understand." I said, picking up the newspaper article and scanning through it.

"The Volturi Family are connected to one of the original 'five families'." He said quietly.

I looked up, not believing what he was saying.

"The 'five families' operate New York, New Jersey, Connecticut, Massachusetts, Pennsylvania, California, Nevada, and" he paused, looking up and catching my eyes "Florida."

"So your saying Phil was in the mob?" I almost laughed. Really, the mob? That was just a bunch of non-sense played up for movies and TV. That stuff didn't really exist in the real world, did it?

"Kiddo, Caius Volturi works with Freddy Massaro," he explained, frantically picking up his piles of papers to show me, "they are both Capos of South Florida crews. Massaro is somewhat retired now and has started to go legit, he opened up a restaurant in Sunny Isles Beach called Beachside Ma.."

"Mario's" I finished.

"You know it?" he asked. His wide eyes meeting mine.

"Uh, yeah, Phil took me and mom there a few times for dinner." I said, thinking back on the few times he had taken us out.

"Tell me everything you remember kiddo." Dad said, reaching for a pad of paper and a pen.

"Well, we always met him there. He introduced us to a few people once, but nobody named Freddy." I said, sifting through my memories. "There was someone named Lenny and a guy he kept calling 'Little Allie Boy'. We always ate at the same table right off the side of the bar near the manager's office, and Phil would always go directly to the bartender to get our drinks." I said, recalling how weird it was that he would go to the bar to get the drinks even though we had a waitress.

"Ok, ok." Dad kept repeating, frantically writing things down on his notepad. He reached for his laptop and clacked on the keyboard before sighing heavily before patting the seat next to him.

I sat down quickly, leaning into his shoulder to read what he was showing me on the screen.

"There he is." Dad said, pointing a finger at the man that haunted my dreams. "I can't believe I never made the connection before." Scrolling down I read the description under his picture.

_**Phillip "Crazy Phil" Leonetti, is a Philadelphia gangster who became the underboss of the Scarfo crime family under his uncle, Nicodemo "Little Nicky" Scarfo before becoming a government informant. At the time, he was the highest-ranking member of the American Mafia to break his blood oath and turn informer. His criminal record includes racketeering charges and ten murders.**_

I couldn't believe it. This man killed my mother and ran from authorities, he was a government informant? Then why were the police coming to us asking about him? It didn't make any sense.

After tossing and turning once again that night, I decided that I would do a search of my own in the morning. Not only into 'Crazy Phil', but also into the officer whose card I've held onto all this time.

Rolling out of my bed I reached for the duffel bag that had accompanied us on all of our moves. I pulled out the small rectangular card that was now bent and had a slight rip in the top left corner. Running my finger over the raised print, I thought back on the man who had found me hiding in the closet all those years ago. Never once had we looked into him, and as I sat there flipping the card over between my fingers, I thought back to moments leading up to him finding me. He navigated the room as if he was familiar with it, and within moments of entering our house, he found me hiding in the closet, almost as if he knew I was there.

On the list in my mind, right next to 'Crazy Phil', I added Officer Jacob Black.

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	13. Chapter 13

**Disclaimer: I own nothing.**

I rolled Officer Black's card between my fingers over and over as I lay on my bed, unable to find sleep yet again. When the orange and pink hues of the rising sun painted my bedroom walls I knew it was time to get up and get going.

Dressing quickly in a pair of jeans and a cream colored sweater I descended the stairs to the kitchen to load my bag with a few snacks and my Ipad before headed to the door to pull on my boots and jacket. Easing the front door open with minimal noise I'm able to escape the confines of the house without waking my father who had fallen asleep in the recliner, laptop still glowing in his lap. I pulled the truck out of the garage and was headed in the direction of the Diner moments later.

As I pulled open the door to the diner I was hit with the sound of easy listening radio and the smell of bacon. Heeding the 'please seat yourself' sign, I slipped into a booth at the far corner overlooking the parking lot and main road.

"What can I getcha hun?" said a sweet looking woman dressed in a light pink apron with the name tag 'Angela' pinned to the strap. Her dark hair was piled on top of her head in a neat bun, and below the apron, she sported a white t-shirt, blue jeans and a comfortable looking pair of white sneakers.

"A coffee and a short stack, please." I said, glancing at the plastic covered menu lying on the table on top of the paper placemat that donned each seat within the diner.

"Sure thing sweetie." She replied, pushing her glasses further up the bridge of her nose and jotting down my order on a small pad before turning and heading in the direction of the kitchen. She was back moments later filling my mug with coffee and sliding a small bowl filled with chilled creamers onto the table.

I unrolled my napkin wrapped silverware, pulling out the spoon, noticing that I was the only patron so far today. After dumping in 3 packets of sugar and 2 creamers into my coffee, I absentmindedly stirred the creamy colored concoction while leaning back onto the faded blue vinyl padded booth taking in the sight of the diner around me.

Identical booths lined the wall of windows at the front, followed by a handful of white 4 top tables, and a small breakfast bar with about a dozen stools separated the kitchen from the rest of the diner. The blue walls held pictures of the diner in different seasons throughout the years and there was a small clock hanging above the door to the kitchen that I could hear ticking from time to time as the easy listening station transitioned between songs.

Angela returned a few moments later with a warmed plate piled high with butter topped pancakes and a small syrup dispenser. She tossed a "holler if you need anything" over her shoulder as she made her way back to the breakfast bar where a crossword puzzle was waiting for her.

I dug into the warm pancakes after soaking them in syrup and looked up and down the main road of town towards the library where I would be spending the day looking into the people who made my life so difficult.

With a full belly and a contented sigh I placed my knife and fork onto my now empty plate and took another swig of coffee before heading over to Angela ready to pay my tab and be on my way.

"That'll be $5.50 hun." She said tapping the keys on the register to display the amount due. I handed over a ten waving off the offer of change and zipped my coat up as I made my way towards the door.

"You be safe out there darlin." She said as I pulled the door open. "And just so you know, you've got some eyes on you." I stopped dead in my tracks. "Across the street, your 9 o'clock."

I looked up and to the left and sure enough, parked just close enough to make out was the silver Volvo I knew so well.

"Thanks." I said over my shoulder, shutting the door and walking off to the right towards the library. The smell of stale paper wafted over me as I entered the library, quickly pulling the door closed behind me. The click of the door echoed in the quiet of the large open room. I smiled politely at the little older woman at the counter who was re-shelving books, and made my way over to the small area of tables in the far left corner.

I sat down and pulled out my Ipad shrugging out of my jacket and hung it on the back of the chair. Logging into the library's WIFI service I pulled up my search engine from yesterday where I had tagged some sites about 'Crazy Phil'. It seemed that in addition to becoming a government informant, Phil had also published a book under his full name Phillip Leonetti.

Leaving my belongings on the table I walked over to the biography section slipping into the 'LMN' aisle. About halfway down the aisle I found the book I was looking for.

_Mafia Prince: Inside America's Most Violent Crime Family and The Bloody Fall of La Cosa Nostra__._

_A younger version of Phil graces the cover, and as I flip it over to the back a small sentence at the bottom catches my eye._

_**He lives in seclusion under an assumed name with a $500,000.00 bounty placed on his head from his jailed uncle Nicky Scarfo.**_

The hair on the back of my neck stands up and all at once the book is knocked from my hands as I am spun around and pressed into the book shelf as Edward stands in front of me with a look that says 'don't you dare make a noise'. He lifts a finger to his mouth in a shhhh motion, but doesn't make a sound. Its then that I hear someone talking to the little old lady at the counter.

"Have you seen this girl?" I hear a deep voice ask.

"Sure have, she came in about 20 minutes ago. I think she's over by the study tables over there." I hear the older lady answer.

Edward grabs my hand and pulls me behind him to the end of the aisle. As we carefully make our way along the back end of the library I see the back of a tall man in a black suit with jet black cropped hair. I'm pulled down a small corridor that houses the restrooms and an emergency exit for the library. Edward stops looking at the exit briefly then up to the sign just above the door that says 'alarms sounds when door is opened'. Cursing under his breath, he pulls me towards the bathrooms. He debates for a moment before yanking me into the Men's room locking the door behind him.

"Don't move and don't make a sound." He warns as he makes his way to the last stall. I hear a slight creak and then feel the cool air rush towards me. Edward appears a moment later and pulls me into the stall behind him towards the window he has opened. Luckily we are on the first floor, but the window is high enough up that Edward has to give me a boost before I'm able to throw my leg up and over dropping down onto the grass below. Edward follows a moment later and then leads me along the side of the building as he surveys the surroundings.

We continue on to the next building and then the next two after that until we round the corner leading us back to the main street where the Volvo is parked. It chirps to life and I don't hesitate a moment when he says "get it".

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	14. Chapter 14

**Disclaimer: I own nothing.**

We are headed in the direction of my house, doubling the speed limit, as I struggle to put my seatbelt on. Neither of us has said a word. Edward takes a turn and I practically fly over the center console hitting his shoulder with mine, but as I slam back into my seat I'm finally able to click the seat belt into place.

"Call Carlisle." Edward says as we turn down yet another street. I go to reach into my pocket, when I realize that I'm not wearing my jacket. My cell is tucked safely in the right side pocket of my jacket which sits uselessly on the back of the chair in the library.

"Shit," I say, "it's in my jacket."

We pull onto my street, and as we approach my house Edward grabs the back of my head, pulling it down and forward to my knees muttering a 'get down'. We don't stop at my house and continue down the street and turn down the one after that.

"What about dad?" I say feeling my breaths quicken slightly as panic starts to rise in me.

"What's your back-up plan?" Edward asks, glancing in the rearview mirror. I don't say anything for a moment, debating on whether or not to share this information. Dad was strict about our rules and letting others in on our plans was a strict no-no.

"Isabella!" he yells, making me look up at him. "They were at your house. What is your back-up plan?" He says more forcefully.

"We uh, we don't have one." I lie.

"Bullshit, Carlisle was too smart for that. Isabella, what is the plan? We need to get you out of here. Now."

"The Barn." I said.

"What barn?" he asks, getting frustrated with my lack of cooperation.

"The one on Cullen Place." I say, sitting back up, but slouching down in the seat.

After a few turns we are driving down Cullen Place, the barn is just up ahead. I look for any signs of my dad and see none. Edward pulls off the road beyond the barn and I make my over calling out "dad".

I hear nothing, and after a quick sweep of the structure, I find nothing. He's not here. My mind conjures up with worst case scenarios immediately and I feel myself start to hyperventilate. Edward grabs my shoulder, spinning me around, and in a fog I follow him back to his car.

I sit as Edward drives, to where I have no idea. Tears run down my face and I realize just how alone I am, and just how scared. I'm not prepared for this – as much as dad tried to get me there, I just am not. I don't have my phone, my 'go-to' bag with cash and contacts that I can rely on to help me in a situation like this, and more importantly, I don't have my dad. He's the one that has gotten us out of every situation safely, and as much as I want to think that I am making the right decision by sticking with Edward and getting the hell out of dodge, all I can think about is how on earth am I ever going to be able to meet up with him, or _if_.

I'm pulled out of my thoughts some time later as Edward pulls into the Greyhound bus station parking lot in Port Angels. We exit the car, and Edward grabs a duffle bag from the trunk before we make our way down the row of cars. Thunder claps loudly, and the rain that has been threatening since the moment we rolled into Forks finally unleashes in a downpour. Confusing me beyond belief we dodge the bus station entrance and continue down the row of cars towards a black Audi.

Edward rounds the driver's side and gets in as I stumble to keep up. The car is revving to life and reversing out of the spot before I even have the door shut completely. I sit back completely soaked as we speed off getting back onto the highway.

My teeth are chattering from the bone chilling cold as water drips from my hair straight down my back. Edward reaches across me, not much dryer, and pushes a button on my door turning on the seat heat. A few moments later my teeth chatter less as the heat of the seat warms me slightly. The constant pelting of rain against the windshield and the events of the day so far over take me, and I fall asleep.

I wake slowly to the feel of fingertips gently brushing wet hair off of my face. I blink a few times trying to get my bearings. Its dark out, Edward is squatting next to me in the space between me and the open car door. I startle and jump upright in my seat as Edward holds up his hands saying _"I'm here, were ok, I gotcha"._

Grabbing my hand, he pulls me from the car and I follow as he leads me down the path towards a door with a metal '12' hanging from the center. He unlocks the door as I spin around trying to figure out where we are. The sign '_Hide-away Motel'_ clues me in and I pass under Edwards's outstretched arm as he holds the door open for me.

Inside, Edward drops the duffle bag onto the full size bed making it bounce. He walks over to the thermostat on the wall and cranks up the heat before disappearing into the en suite bathroom returning a moment later tossing a folded white towel my way which I don't catch. He rubs his face with his own towel as it unfolds and then he drops it onto the bed as he pulls his soaked black, long sleeved shirt up and over his head. I stare dumbfounded as he picks up the towel again drying off his chiseled chest and abs before he wraps the towel around his neck and sits on the bed to pull of his boots.

He tosses them one at a time towards the dresser that's situated across from the bed. I stand rooted to the spot just an arms length away from him. His socks join the pile with his boots and then he yanks me forward a step towards him by the belt loop in my jeans. My eyes meet his and he lifts my foot, pulling my boot off, followed by my sock. When both my boots and socks lay on the floor with his, he stands, keeping his eyes on mine as he reaches for then pulls my soaked sweater up and over my head.

We stand there for a moment, him shirtless, and me in just my cream colored bra, both in soaking wet jeans, barefoot. He holds my sweater in his hand and my panting breaths match his as I watch his shoulders rise and fall with each breath.

"Go take a shower." He says. "It'll warm you up."

I nod, finally breaking eye contact and brush past him towards the bathroom.

"Isabella" he calls. I turn and he tosses me the towel for the second time. This time I catch it.

I close the door behind me, noting that there is no lock. I pull the clear shower curtain back and turn the water on as hot as it can go. I strip off the last of my clothes piling them on the closed lid of the toilet and place the towel on the counter next to the sink.

I stand under the painfully hot spray of the water finally feeling somewhat warm. Using the complementary bottles of shampoo and soap I lather myself head to toe in the scent of coconut. As I'm rinsing myself free of the bubbles I hear a click and turn to see Edward place a dark pile of clothes on the counter next to my towel. My breath hitches when our eyes meet through the sheer shower curtain for a moment before he disappears behind the door pulling it closed. I stand there for another minute before reaching behind me to turn off the water.

I step out of the shower and towel off quickly feeling the warmth of my skin cool off slightly. I look at the pile of clothes that Edward has left for me, thankful that I have something more that this towel to wear until my clothes dry. The black shirt is way too large for me and falls midway down my thighs, turning to reach for the pair of boxers that were beneath it, I notice writing on the shirt in the mirror. Turning fully I read the word 'Cullen' in bold white letters across the back of the shirt. I pull the gray boxers on and have to roll them twice before the fit me and finally pull on the white athletic socks, which, again, are too big. I wrap my hair up in the towel and use the toothpaste and my finger to brush my teeth before making my way out into the room.

Edward is sitting on the edge of the bed clenching and unclenching his toes, his dark jeans, which have since been unbuttoned and unzipped, hang loosely on his hips. He runs a hand through his damp hair as he looks up to see me standing there.

"Your turn." I say.

**Was feeling inspired today, (thanks for the review Abluebrown) hence the bonus chapter. Hope you enjoyed it.**

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	15. Chapter 15

**Disclaimer: I own nothing.**

He stands from the bed slowly, his eyes roaming up my body until they reach my eyes. He takes a step towards me, his eyes moving to just behind my shoulder as he speaks lowly into my ear.

"No phone calls, and don't answer the door."

With that, he walks off into the bathroom. A moment later I hear the water running. I take a deep breath and turn around taking in the room. My eyes immediately spot the dresser and mirror directly behind me. There is a small table next to the dresser with two mismatched chairs and a green stain glass chandelier hanging above it. There is a small box TV sitting on a rolling stand by a small closet just outside the bathroom and the full size bed is sandwiched between two night tables. One table holds a lamp and an outdated alarm clock, while the other also has a lamp and a telephone.

I contemplate turning the TV on, but I'm too tired to look for the remote. Instead I walk over to the full size bed and pull back the maroon floral print comforter and stark white sheets. The pillow is flat and doesn't offer much support, but once I've wrapped the bedding around me, I realize how wiped out I am. I close my eyes and drift off to the sound of the pitter patter of rain hitting the large window situated next to the door.

We never discussed sleeping arrangements, and other than the few directions he issued earlier no other words have been said. I don't know how long I am asleep before I sit straight up gasping for breath. He is next to me in an instant, kneeling beside the bed and running his warm hand up and down my arm saying "_its ok, I'm here, you're safe." _ I realize my face is wet with tear as my breathing evens out. I don't recall the nightmare I just had, but I can take a guess at what it could have been.

I give a slight nod of thanks to him before I lay back down. He tucks me back in and returns to his spot in the chair he pulled up the window. He sits back, staring out into the parking lot through the slight gap in the curtain. His gun is in his hand that rests in his lap.

I watch him for a while, unable to fall back to sleep. The light from passing cars glides across his face periodically. His feet and chest are bare. Just the dark sweatpants that ride low on his hips keep him covered. He drops his foot from the windowsill where he had it propped up before he takes a deep breath and turns to look at me.

"You talk in your sleep." He says softly, a slight smirk on his lips.

I'm too embarrassed to respond, but I lift my hand and wipe my eyes with the back of it. His shoulders drop as he takes another deep breath before he stands, abandoning his look out post and walks around to the other side of the bed. I feel the covers lift and the bed dip. My breath hitches when his warm hand finds my hip, pressing into it, making me turn to face him. I willingly allow him to pull me closer so that my head rests on his shoulder and his arm wraps around me, holding me to him. His hand runs up and down my arm warming me and soothing me, despite the goosebumps that spring up and the acceleration of my heartbeat.

He flinches slightly when my hand rests on his stomach and I snuggle impossibly closer. Although we both used the same soap he smells so different – earthy, manly. I pull in a deep breath of his scent and my eyes close again falling back to sleep feeling safe in his arms.

The sound of a moan startles me wakes hours later. It only takes me a moment to realize that the sound came from me.

I'm on my side, my leg up and over Edward, who is also on his side. His face is pressed into my chest, one arm is wrapped around my back, the other my hip. His right hand is gripping my ass pulling me into his undulating hips. My hands, which have been running through his hair still as I moan again, feeling his hard member thrust against me.

He freezes as the sound of my moan wakes him. I feel him gasp and the hand on my ass pulls away slightly.

"Don't stop."

The words are out of my mouth before I have a chance to stop them.

He pulls back further, looking up and into my eyes. His face shows embarrassment and discomfort. I'm not sure what mine shows, maybe disappointment? His mouth opens and closes as he tires to find words. Our bodies are still tangled together and I feel him twitch against me.

"Please." I beg, biting down on my bottom lip. My hands drop from his hair down to his shoulders trying to pull him closer to me as my hips roll against him. I see his eyelids flutter and his jaw drop making his mouth form an 'O' as a pant escapes his lips.

"I just need…" my words are cut off by his mouth as it attacks mine, plunging his tongue in to dance with mine. His thrusts hit me harder as both of us gasp and moan. His hand digs into my hip as it rises to meet each of his thrusts. The feel of him bringing me closer and closer. I roll my hips again allowing him to hit just where I need him to. My hands tighten on his shoulders as my orgasm shudders through me making me quiver and pant. A few more thrusts and I hear him curse as he trembles against me.

He places one last, sweet kiss on my lips before he untangles himself and disappears into the bathroom. I hear the faucet briefly as I lay there spent, sated, and completely confused. He comes back into the room a moment later wearing the jeans and shirt from last night. I sit up and watch him pull on his boots.

"Be right back." he says over his shoulder as he leaves the room.

My mouth opens not understanding what just happened, or what I'm supposed to do. After a few minutes I leave the comfort of the bed to use the bathroom and finger brush my teeth. Going to bed with wet hair has not done me any favors I see as I look myself over in the mirror. I strip out of the borrowed clothes, piling them on the counter, and hop in the shower.

I stand there letting the water fall over me for a moment before once again washing from head to toe. Rinsing off quickly I pat myself dry and wrap myself with towel. I stand at the counter looking at Edwards clothes I wore last night. Deciding to sport my own clothes today, I leave the bathroom in search of them. As I make my way back into the room, Edward comes in through the door with a white plastic shopping bag and a tray with two coffees.

We stand frozen, staring at one another for a moment before he clears his throat.

"I just grabbed a few necessities." He says, shutting the door and tossing the plastic bag on the bed. I head over to inspect his purchases as he places the tray of coffee on the table. I pull a hairbrush out of the bag saying "thank you."

"Your welcome." He says, rubbing his hand on the back of his neck. As I go to pull out another item, his eyes go wide and he yanks out a gold box from the bag before disappearing into the bathroom muttering an "excuse me".

I dump the bag onto the bed revealing a toothbrush, a package of hair ties, a travel size deodorant and a double pack pair of black boy short style underwear.

Using Edwards's absence to my advantage I rip open the underwear, pulling on a pair then grabbing my dry clothes that have been neatly folded on the dresser I clip on my bra, and am just pulling my sweater over my head when I hear Edward clear his throat again. I finish dressing quickly, keeping my eyes on the task at hand. After lacing up my boots I stand to see Edward with his duffel bag in hand.

"We should get going." He says, not meeting my eyes.

"Uh, ok." I say, turning and putting the items back into the bag. I pull my hair up and secure it with the hair tie Edward purchased as he hands me one of the coffees. I take it saying "thank you" yet again.

This time he meets my eyes, his cheeks a slight pink as he gives me a small smile before saying "your welcome."

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	16. Chapter 16

**Disclaimer: I own nothing.**

I hesitate for a moment before taking a sip of the coffee Edward got me. I usually prefer my coffee more milk and sugar than actual coffee, so as the warm liquid hits my tongue I am shocked to discover that it's just right. How the hell did he know that?

I quietly slip into the passenger seat avoiding eye contact with Edward. As he buckles his seat I'm hit with a wave of his scent and ache to repeat our earlier actions. I feel my cheeks heat and busy myself with finishing the coffee and getting lost in the landscape that passes at a high rate of speed.

Again I have no idea where we are going, and I get the feeling that even if I did ask, Edward wouldn't tell me anyway.

An hour into our silent ride I decide to burst the uncomfortable bubble.

"Why are you doing all of this?" I ask. His eyes don't leave the road ahead of us, but his eyebrows pull together slightly before he answers.

"I need to keep you safe."

He doesn't elaborate further. I let it drop and move onto random things to avoid falling back into silence again. I tell him about the other two times dad and I had close calls and had to leave town in a moments notice. The other few times were more _planned_. The first was in Atlanta about a year after my mom's death. The second was in Phoenix. I was just finishing up telling Edward about how a classmate and I had become friends, or so I thought, she was my partner for a big project in our economics class that I worked so hard on. As it turns out the 'friendship' we had was just so I would do the work and on the day of the presentation she threw me under the bus and took credit for all of the work. I was so shocked and hurt by her actions that I didn't speak up for myself and walked away with a 'C' while she strutted away with an 'A'.

"It wasn't so hard to leave that time. Its one of the reasons why I don't tend to make friends when we roll into a new town." I say.

"I can understand that." He says after a beat. "But it is good to make friends Isabella. They can keep you from losing who it is you really are. Besides, Tanya was never a real friend anyway."

Tanya?! I repeat in my head. I didn't recall telling Edward her name. How would he know her name?

"How do you know her name was Tanya?" I say, as casually as I can.

"Oh..ugh, you must have mentioned it to me earlier." He stutters, paying extra close attention to a street sign we approach.

He's lying. He knows who I am, where I have been, what I've done while I've been there and he knows how I take my coffee. I stiffen in my seat and lower my hand to rest on the buckle of the seatbelt. If need be, I can unclick it and take off on foot if the opportunity presents itself. I mentally start preparing myself to break away from Edward.

We get off the highway at the next exit and pull onto a dirt road. Edward navigates twist and turns along more dirt roads until we approach a small cluster of buildings that have seen better days. We park in front of one that has a wooden sign leaning against the steps leading to the entrance that reads '_general store – open_'.

Edwards gets out and makes his way towards the steps. I sit back trying to look casual as I map out my escape. Out of the corner of my eye I see Edward pause and then head back my way. I curse and my shoulders slump as he opens my door and beckons me to '_stay close_'. He pulls me down the few aisles in the store never letting go of my hand as he tosses food, water and hygiene products into the basket he made me hold.

I take notice when he grabs my favorite flavor chips, and when he opts for green tea verses iced tea. He knows more about me that I gave him credit for, so how long has he known about me? How long has he been following me?

He pays for our purchases with cash and we head back to the car. He makes sure to shut me in the car before putting the bags in the back seat and getting back behind the wheel. We head off again towards more dirt roads and trees.

Almost another hour passes in silence before we pull into a driveway that I would have missed completely had he not slowed down to practically a stop to make the turn. The trees are thick for a little while before slowly thinning out to reveal a small cabin tucked away at the end of the driveway.

He parks the car and pauses for a moment before turning to me.

"We will have to hide out here for a while until I know it's safe. We have to _trust_ each other Isabella." I nod my head still avoiding his eyes and unbuckle my seatbelt.

We grab the bags silently and carry them up the few steps to the front door of the cabin. I notice a small camera pointed towards the door as I approach and peek over both shoulders before ducking under Edwards arm as he holds the door open for me. We place the grocery bags on the counter in the small kitchen and then Edward leads me on a tour of the cabin. Adjacent to the kitchen is a small living area complete with green microfiber sofa, a coffee table, a small outdated entertainment center and a huge stone wood burning fireplace. The walls are decorated with framed artwork of various landscapes – mountain trails, flowing rivers, etc. The room has a homey feel to it. Leading us out of the living area and down the hallway, Edward points out the large bathroom and finally ends our tour with the one bedroom. I stand in the doorway taking in the surrounds as he continues in dropping his bag at his feet as he pulls out towels from the dresser and starts unpacking his bag, hanging some items in the walk-in closet. The room is dark with just a single light illuminating the space. The focal point of the room is the giant sleigh bed, and I swallow the lump in my throat at the thought of sleeping next to him again. I take a few steps into the room and put my bag on the foot of the bed. I pull out the toothbrush and deodorant from earlier and escape to the bathroom to put them away.

I close the bathroom door behind me and lean against it taking in a few deep breaths. The bathroom contains a claw foot tub that I desperately want to sink into. I place my toothbrush and deodorant on the counter next to the sink and look at my reflection in the mirror just above it. I look like I haven't slept in days. I run my fingers through my hair and pinch my cheeks to bring some color into my pale face. I'm about to turn on the faucet when I hear a gentle tap tap tap on the door.

"Yeah?" I call out.

"I have some towels for you if you can open the door." Edward says.

I glance at myself again before turning and opening the door. He stands in the doorway holding the stack of towels. I open my mouth to thank him, but he brushes past me and into the bathroom. I'm leaning against the counter of the bathroom which now seems so small with the both of us standing here. He leans towards me, and I feel my heart beat faster at the motion, as he places the stack of towels just behind me on the counter. He is barely out of my personal space when he speaks.

"Why don't you go ahead and take a bath, _relax_ a bit. I'll go make us something to eat."

I nod my head in response, not sure of my voice. His eyes drift down to my lips for a moment before he steps back and leaves headed towards the kitchen. I take a moment to catch my breath and make sure to lock the door before stripping down.


	17. Chapter 17

**Disclaimer: I own nothing.**

"Isabella!"

I hear my name being frantically shouted as I blink awake in the now cool bath water. Pounding on the door and my name being shouted over and over forces me to stand and wrap a towel around myself. I step over to the door and pull it open to find Edward standing there looking completely beside himself.

"Oh thank god." He whispers as he pulls me tight against his chest.

"I fell asleep." I say.

"When you didn't answer…" he doesn't finish the sentence as guilt washing over me for making him so worried. "Go ahead and get dressed, dinner is ready."

He leaves me in the bathroom doorway as he heads back to the kitchen. I stand for a moment before going to the bedroom to change. In the dresser drawer I find a pair of dark gray sweatpants and a sweatshirt that are far too big, but are beyond soft and comfortable. I find Edward in the kitchen plating up two portions of pasta. I sit at the small table as he approaches with the plates in each hand. He puts one in front of me and the other directly across from me at the other seat. There are two bottles of water that he grabs from the cabinet and before I know it my plate is empty. I didn't realize just how hungry I was until the last forkful was in my mouth.

"Would you like some more?" he asks, his own plate only half finished.

"No, that was plenty. Thank you for making it, it was delicious." I say, wiping my mouth and gulping down my water.

He brushes off the complement, and I sit back watching him as he finishes his dinner. I keep finding it hard to believe that I'm in this situation. The moment is interrupted by the ringing of Edwards's cell phone. He pulls it from his pocket and his eyes meet mine as he answers with "Cullen".

"We're at the Cabin… She is safe… I will let her know… I understand… It's a burner and I will change it out every 2 days… Keep me informed of any new developments… I will sir… Goodnight."

"Your father is safe. They have him in a different location and we will meet up with him as soon as we know that Phil is in custody." Edward says.

"Oh thank god!" I say, feeling my tears as they trail down my cheeks. I never thought I would see my father again, and to hear that he is safe is the best news I have heard in years. I laugh a little as I wipe my tears and push away from the table to go sit in the living area.

I'm sitting on the couch flipping through random channels on the TV when I feel him sit beside me. He sits so close even though there is plenty of space on the sofa.

"How long have you known about me Edward." His eyes find mine as he takes in a deep breath and responds.

"A while."

"What does that even mean? You know things about me that happened a long time ago, you know personal things Edward, I need to know what's going on here. Please, how long?"

"Three years."

I sit stunned. Three years. He has been following me for three years.

"When you made your last move I was told to engage you. You were in my hometown and I had more control over things there. It was safer to approach you and we knew Phil was closing in. It was just a matter of time, and thank god I got to you when I did." He places his hand on my thigh as he says this and I'm sure its meant to comfort be, but my body has a different reaction to it.

"So you have just been watching me all these years, lurking in the background?" I say.

"Yes, but Isabella, you have to know, that I would _never_ hurt you."

I believe him. I can sense that he would never hurt me. I can feel his overwhelming need to protect me. I just feel so exposed. He knows everything about me, and I know very little about him.

"What are you thinking?" he asks.

"I'm thinking about all the times I have felt so alone and even humiliated and you were there just watching it all happen. I feel embarrassed." I say, thinking back on all the moments of the past three years that Edward has had a front row seat to.

"No, no, no." He says, sliding off the sofa to the floor and kneeling in front of me, grabbing my hands in his. "You shouldn't feel embarrassed at all. There is nothing for you're to feel embarrassed about. I have been there to protect you, not to judge you. You are such a strong woman, and there have been so many times that I have wanted to swoop in and shield you from all the shit that you have had to go through, but look at you…you are amazing, tough and so intelligent. I'm absolutely amazed by you."

Without another thought I lean forward and press my lips to his. He hesitates for just a moment before he pulls me towards him, my knees on either side of him. I pull him closer wrapping my arms around his shoulders as his hands rest on my hips, squeezing me. I moan when his tongue plunges into my mouth. He pushes forward and angles me beneath him on the sofa. I wrap my legs around his waist and it's like this morning all over again only something is very different. It's passionate and intense, but it's not awkward, if anything its serene.

His hands begin exploring me – cupping my breasts, brushing against my nipples as his lower half undulates against me awakening new desires. I feel myself growing wetter as his hardness presses against me and he peels the sweatshirt off of me. I'm bare beneath it and his mouth instantly drops to my breasts – kissing, sucking, licking, while his other hand squeezes and rubs.

I whimper his name as I pull at his shirt. He lifts himself off of me and rids himself of it before diving back in again. I hear his own sounds of pleasure in between my gasps and pants. He feels so good, and I just want more. I rock my hips against his trying to ease the ache he is causing. I drop my hands to his waist trying to push down his jeans. He lifts himself up looking in my eyes.

"Are you sure?" He asks.

"Absolutely." I say, breathless.

He picks me up and carries me to the bedroom. He places me down on the bed and walks over to his duffle bag digging around until he pulls out the gold box I had caught a glimpse of earlier. As he walks back to me, he places the box on the night stand pulling out a foil packet from within reading 'Trojan'. I give him a look to which he sheepishly admits that he wasn't expecting, but he was hoping.

He pulls off his jeans and I zero in on the prominent 'V' of his narrow hips as he slides the sweatpants down my legs. He covers my body with his as his lips meet mine. Our hands continue to explore each other. His dip into the boyshorts he purchased for me and an overwhelming sense of need hits me as he runs his fingers along my wetness.

"Oh, god, your so wet for me." He says into my neck pushing a finger inside me. I can only respond with an "hmm" and an "ahh". His mouth finds my breasts again as his fingers work me into a frenzy. I ache for him. I use my heels to push his boxer briefs lower and after a moment he finally gets the hint. He leans back and removes mine first before he stands and kicks his off.

He's huge, not that I have anything to compare it to, but my desire to quench the ache within me overrules my sense of nervousness. He rips open the packet rolling the condom up his length then kneels between my parted legs.

"I've wanted you for so long." He says with adoration in his eyes. He lines himself up with me and presses forward. It's uncomfortable, but not painful. He pushes forward inch by inch allowing me to adjust until he finally thrusts forward meeting my hips with his. "I'm sorry." He whispers into my ear as he gently rocks back and forward a bit as I catch my breath. It's not long before I am moaning for him to go faster and don't stop. He pulls back until he's almost out before pushing back completely. It feels amazing; I can feel every ridge and vein as he slides in and out.

"Ugh, you're so tight, you feel so good." He pants kissing along my neck. I feel the knot in my stomach tightening until finally I explode around him. He curses, thrusting faster until finally he moans my name collapsing against me.

He doesn't pull out right away. We just lay there holding and kissing each other. Finally he pulls back and heads to the bathroom to clean up. I pull back the covers and nestle into the bed, rolling on my side and close my eyes. A few moments later I feel the bed dip and I fall asleep with his arms wrapped around me.

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><p><strong>Sorry for the delay in updates...real life, blah, blah, hopefully 2 in one day makes up for it. Reviews always make me smile.<strong>


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